In 1965 Jacques Brel wrote and recorded a fiery three verse chanson exploding with the anxiety, bravado and panic faced by someone stretched to a midpoint across the abyss -- to find oneself suspended between mediocrity and genius, villainy and heroism, doom and eternity, etc. In 1967 the nearly equally inimitable Scott Walker brilliantly re-interpreted Brel's Chanson in English, to equal parts controversy and acclaim in the Anglosphere. In 2012, both versions of the tune have collided in an Anglo-Franco alliance, revealing perhaps an ever-implicit third dimension. It's a stunt simultaneously ill-advised and absolutely necessary for a band like Secret Chiefs 3: Traditionalists to undertake -- and one that could only be pulled off with someone uniquely qualified to take command of the vocals. Who other than the maestro Mike Patton, in this day and age, to do justice (and then some) without insult to such a preposterously Spartan legacy?

Side B -
45 RPM
Traditionalists
"The Western Exile"

One of the main themes from Secret Chiefs 3's 2004 album "Book of Horizons" receives a more spaghetti-seasoned marination in the crimson blood-soaked cemeteries of occidental exile. Not a chump re-mix, this is an entirely new thunderhead-evoking arrangement and recording, back-dated with a few more horsemen of the Apocalypse casting shadows over the Cowboys and Indians for cinematic effect. Already a well-proportioned auditory and philosophical compliment to its flipside, this recording is also one of the precious few Secret Chiefs 3 recordings graced with the voice and viola of Anonymous 13.

Produced by Trey Spruance,
Both tracks mixed ANALOG on the API 2824 to the Ampex ATR 102 1/2" at Lucky Cat Studios SF, under the trusted assistance and supervising ears of Kurt Schlegel. All violins, viola, guitars, organs, percussion, Anonymous 13 vocals and Hofner electric bass recorded at Forking Paths Studio by Trey Spruance, except drums and bass on The Western Exile recorded at Hyde Street Studio C by Justin Phelps. French horn and trombone on Le Chanson de Jacky recorded by Randall Dunn at Aleph Studio. Piano, trumpet and backing vocals on Le Chanson de Jacky recorded at Blue Giant Studios. Mike Patton and Adam Stacey recorded themselves. Mastered for vinyl at SAE Mastering by Roger Seibel.